Electrical-current-limiting device.



BEST AVAILABLE COP M. MERTENS. ELECTRICAL CURRENT LIMITING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED 110 1.14, 1911.

Patented June 9, 1914.

[/vve/v tor Max Mar-tens,

hlsflttorlvqy With-25558 5. I

BEST AVA UNITED rAT NT v OFFICE.

max MERTENS, orsnnnrn, enamn'nr, assrenon r0 ENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION or new YORK.

ELncrnrcnLcUnnnur-Lmmme DEVICE. 1'

Specification of Letters Patent.

Batented June 9, 1914.

Application filed November 14, 1911. Serial No. 660,272.

To all whom it may concern Y Be it known that I, MIn rcNs-a subject of the Emperor of Germany, residing. at Berlin, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electrical- Current-Limitin g. Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to electrical currentlimiting devices and has for its object the construction of an improved form of such apparatus.

Electrical currentdimiting devices are frequently used with electrical circuits, usually of small capacity, feedinglamps or other translating de vices,.where it is desired to limit the consumption of current or energy taken by such circuits; These devices usually operate to intermittently break the circuit when the number of lamps or other translating devices connected thereto consume more than a predetermined amount, or

consist of devices where resistance Y is switched or connected in with the circuit, so that the translating devices-will not A operate satisfactorily. By such. means the" attention of the consumer is called-to the fact that he .endeavoring to use more ener or current than that to which he is entit ed.

My invention consists in a newlforin of current-limiting device and comprises a special form of mechanism whereby if the current in the circuit exceeds by a small amounta predetermined value the circuit will be intermittently interrupted, but if this value is exceeded by a large'amount the I circuit will-be permanently opened.

The-further novelties of'my invention are pointed out with more particularity in the chiimsappended to and made a part of this specification. l

For "a further understanding of my invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawing where 1 shows my device connected'to an electrical circuitsupplying from a source 2 by means of conductors 3, 4, lamps or other translating devices 6 and 7 are binding-posts which are connected in series with one ot the conductors. From binding-post 6 extends conductor 8 one-. nd of windin .91 se eiwid" 9 he other end being connectedizby conductorlQ to terminal 11, which is fastened to a metal which swings an L-shaped lever having two arms. 14, 15.

1 Passing. through the solenoid is a core 16, the head 17 of which is adapted to strike arm 15 of the lever and move this in an upward direction. If thisarm' is moved up- 5 ward more than a certain amount it will be gcaught by the spring latch 18 and held in i the 'positlon shown by the dotted lines until [released by pressure upon the button 19 which extends beyond the casing, not shown, of the device. The length of stroke of core 16 is limited by stop 20 fastened to bar 21 having a slot 22 in operative relation with a screw 23, so that the position of this stop may be changed in the well known manner. On arm 14 of the lever is a. contact 24 which is arranged to make contact with contact 25 conductively fastened to bindingpost 7 z The operation of my device will beas folcircuit a number of lamps or translating de- "that more than a given amount of current will be consumed, the current flowing in the circuit, and hence through'the solenoid, will be of such a value as to pull up core 16, causing it to strike against arm 15 of the "lever and break the connection between conis broken, the circuit of' the solenoid is termittently'iiiterrupted until the consumer disconnects from the circuit the excessof translating devices connected thereto. If there are connected to the circuit a number of translating devices greatly in excess of the predetermined number, the instantaneous flow of current in the circuit-imine will be more powerfullyfattra'ct ed than before, and by its greater-upward movement arm 15 of the lever will e so greatly will be prevented byla tch l and it Willis The current inlthe circuit will thembcper" stored after the consumer has pressed butplate.12. Upon'this plate is a pin 13 about ton 19 By this action of intermittently intacts 2 1: and 25. As soon asthis connectionopened its core will drop and the contact will be remade, to be broken again in the. manner described, so that the current is inflected that its return to its normalpcsition same. the position shown by the dotted lines.

lows: When the consumer connects to the vices greater than a predetermined one, so

diately after the connection of such devices Y will be of such strength that the core 16' manently interrupted and itsflow only re- BESTAVAI meter may also be connected to the circuit and such connection has not been illustrated.

While I have illustrated a preferred em-- bodiment of my invention, I do not limit myself to this embodiment, but seek in the appended claimsto. cover all embodiments which will beobvious to those skilled in the art and not depart from the spirit of my invention. v p 1 What I claimas new and desire to secure ,by Letters Patent of the United States, is,-

1. A current-limiting device comprising means 'for intermittently interrupting the current when the ,current exceeds a predetermined value, and means for-locking the current interrupting means in open circuit position when the current exceeds a greater value. 3

-2. -A current-limiting device comprising means forintermittently interrupting the current when the current exceeds a predetermined value,imeans for locking the current interrupting means in open circuit position when the' current exceeds a greater value, and 'means for releasingthe current interrupting means when locked in open circuit position.v

:='3. A current-limiting device comprising means for intermittentlyinterrupting the current when the current exceeds a prede- 40 termined value, means for'locking the currentinterruptingmeans in open circuit position when the current exceeds a greater value, and manuall operable means operatively related to said locking means for re leasing the current interrupting means when locked in open circuit position.

4. In combination, an electric circuit, a current-limiting device included therein and comprising means for intermittently interrupting the flow of current in said circuit when the current exceeds a predetermined value, and means for holding the currentinterrupting means in 0 en circuit position when'the current" exceeds a greater value.

5. Iii combination, an electric circuit, a current-limiting device included therein and -comprising means for intermittently interruptin the-flow of current insaid circuit when e current exceeds a predetermined value, means for holding the current inter- E COP ru'pting means in open circuit posit on when the current exceeds a greater value, and

means for releasing the current interrupting means when held in open circuit position.

6; In combination, an electric circuit, 'a current limiting device included therein and comprising means for'intermittently interrupting the flowof current in said circuit I when the current exceeds a, predetermined value, means for locking the currentinterrupting means in open circuit position when the current exceeds a greater value, and manually operable means operativ ely related to said locking means i or releasing the current interrupting means when locked "in open circuit position.

7. In combination, an electric circuit, a

current-limiting device comprising a coil included in said circuit, a circuit-breaking devlce in operative relation with said (3011 for intermittently interrupting the flow of current in said circuit when the current exceeds a predetermined value, and latching 'means for holding the circuit-breaking de-- vice in open circuit position when the cur-. rent exceeds a greater value.

S. In combination, an electric circuit, a

current-limiting device comprising a coil in? cluded in said circuit, a circuit-breaking de- VlCe in operative relation with said coil for intermittently interrupting theflow of current in said circuit when the current. exceeds eluding a circuit-breaking device, a current- 'lImItIIIg devlce comprising a solenoid included in said circuit, a core for said solenoid in operative relation with said circuitbreaking device and adapted to give a slight movement to the device when the current in said circuit exceedsa predcterminedralue and'to release the device when the circuit is broken so that the current in the circuit is intermittently interrupted and to give a greater movement to the device when the current is of greater value, latching means for holding the circuit-breaking device in open circuit position when the current exleasing said latching means.

ceeds said greater value. and means for re- In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 9th day ofOctober, 1911. 4

.7 MAX MERTENS. Witnesses:

- HENRY HASPER,

WOLDEMAR HAUPT.

' Coplu or thll potent obtained for five cent: each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents Washington, I). 0.

a predetermined value, latching means for 

